Westerlay Orchids adds 39 acres of production space

Westerlay Orchids has added 39 acres in Oxnard to its portfolio of orchid growing facilities. Undeveloped and currently in use as open field agriculture, the new property is located on Hueneme Road, 1.5 acres from the ocean, which provides the necessary cool temperatures for proper cultivation.   

“Long term sustainability is our driving motivation,” Toine Overgaag, owner of Westerlay, said of the move. “Orchids need a specific environment to thrive and building a new state of the art facility in Oxnard will help us continue raising the bar in the orchid market.”

Overgaag’s aim is for carbon neutral production, and he is confident of achieving 100 percent use of recycled water. The property has access to Oxnard’s GREAT water program (Groundwater Recovery Enhancement and Treatment), which recovers commercial and domestic wastewater for irrigation purposes as well as groundwater injection. Additionally, Overgaag plans to integrate solar panels into the greenhouses.

“The project’s build-out timeline is three years. It’s an exciting new chapter in Westerlay’s growth,” Overgaag said of the 24-acres greenhouse plan. “And, yes, we are keeping our Carpinteria location.”